Aileron and flap combination



8 1935. F. R. WEYMOUTH 1,988,148

AILERON AND FLAP. COMBINATION Filed Feb. 18, 1935 1 INVENTOR FEEDER/(KR Way/1 00M BY ms ATTORNEY a6 Patented Jan. 15, 1935 I AILERON AND FLAP COIWBINATION Frederick R. Weymouth, Bufialo, N. Y., assig'nor to Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company, a corporation of New York Application February 18, 1933, Serial No. 657,321

2 Claims. (Cl. 244-29) This invention relates to aircraft, and particularly, to improvements in the arrangement of ailerons and trailing edge flaps for the wings 12, and having wings 13 and 14 extending outward therefrom. These wings 13 and 14 are siniilar, the wing 13 carrying similar elements to those carried by the wing 14, now to be described.

thereof.

It is well known in the art that trailing edge Anairfoil 15, along its rearward or trailing edge 5 flaps on the wings of aircraft allow for irnprove- 16, is provided with a plurality of alined hinges ments in performance of the aircraft, particu- 1 7, 18 and 19, about which is adapted to swing larly in reducing landing speed when the flaps are a flap 20. Suitable controls, not shown, but welladjusted to a position in which the wing camber known to those skilled in the art, are provided for H) is increased. To obtain the highest utility fromturning the flap in different angular attitudes flaps, they should preferably be coextensive with with respect to the airfoil 15. An alternative flap the wing span. But to provide ailerons for lateral position is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. control of the aircraft, then, it is usually neces- It will be seen that the flap 20 and its hinge line sary to shorten the flap so that the ailerons may are coextensive with the wing span, and that I lie in an effective position at the trailing edge of said hinge line is substantially parallel to the inner the outer portions of the wings. Combinations have trailing edge 21 of the flap. been devised wherein substantially rectilinear The outer trailing edge 22 of the flap is ailerons have been hinged to the flaps, in cutouts tapered from a point such as 23 intermediate the in the flaps, but this expedient is not wholly satwing span, to a point such as 24 along the outer 20 isfactory, since the aileron ends, moving with reedge of the wing 14. In the embodiment shown, 20 spect to the flaps, allow end losses which detract the tapered trailing edge 22 intersects the trailing considerably from the efiectiveness of the flap. edge 16 of the airfoil 15 at the outer end thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide a Along the tapered edge 22 of the flap 20, are biased, or skew, aileron, hinged to the trailing spaced a plurality of alined hinges 25, 26 and 27,

edge flap of a wing, in such a manner that efwhich are arranged to carry an aileron 28 for 25 ficiency losses due to eddying air currents around independent adjustment with respect to the flap the ends of the ailerons are avoided. 20. Alternate positions for the aileron 28 are Afurther object is to provide an efiicient aileron shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Control means, not for a wing having a trailing edge flap substanshown, but well-known in the art, may be provided 30 tially coextensive with the wing span. for the aileron 28. The trailing edge of the aile 30 A further object is to provide a wing equipped ran, in conjunction with the flap 22 and the airfoil with a trailing edge flap and aileron, the latter 15, together form the wing 14, the outer dimentwo elements cooperating so that maximum flap sions of the whole assembly being arranged to effectiveness may be obtained along with adegive proper aerodynamic characteristics.

quate aileron effectiveness for lateral control of Functionally, the aileronhinge axis moves with 35 the aircraft. the flap as the latter is adjusted, but the aileron A further object is to-provide a biased or skew may at all times be moved with respect to the flap. aileron, swingable independently about a slant- The constant continuity of the trailing edge of ing axis, mounted on a swingable trailing edge the aileron 22 with the edge portion 21 of the flap flap adjustable about an axis substantially nor- 20, prevents the breaking up of air flow over the mal to the line of flight. wing surface, combining to allow full efiiciency A still further object is to provide a combined of flap operation throughout the span with the flap and aileron, the trailing edges of which are known efiicient characteristics of the skew aileron, always in continuity with each other. regardless of flap position: End losses from non- Additional objects will be apparent from a readcontinuous trailing edges are eliminated, and 45 ing of the annexed description and claizns and simplicity in construction results. from a consideration of the drawing, in which: A further advantage accruing from the con- Fig. 1 is a plan of a forward portion of an airstruction disclosed is the balancing efiect which craft embodying the invention; and the aileron lends to the flap. For instance, the

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, sections on aileron positions of Figs. 3 and 4 (full lines) or an 50 the lines 22, 33, 4-4, and 5-5 of Fig. 1. intermediate or neutral position between the. no-

In the drawing, similar numerals indicate sini- Sitions shown by the full and the dotted If as ilar parts. An airplane. shown in part in Fig. 1, would tend to lower the flap 20-if the flap is to comprises a fuselage 11, having, an engine enbe lowered, the efl'ort for effecting the movement closed in well-known manner within a cowl ring is reduced. 5

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an airfoil, an adjustable trailing edge flap hinged to and substantially coextensive with the rearward edge thereof, the outer portion of the trailing edge of said flap tapering in a substantially straight line from a point intermediate its span to intersect the outer diate its span and intersecting the outer end of said wing at a point substantially coincidental with the intersection of said flap hinge axis with said outer wing end.

FREDERICK R. WEYMOUTH. 

